The Envy, we deny, we are shamed.
The Hidden Cost of Denying Competition in the Social Sector In the social sector, we are conditioned to view competition as a dirty word. The prevailing ethos suggests that competing is inherently selfish and entirely counter-intuitive to the nature of social work. After all, a social worker’s primary duty is to keep the beneficiary’s best interests at heart. A beneficiary is not a customer to be won, but a vulnerable individual or community to be served. Because our mission is noble, we assume our operating environment must be entirely selfless. But this ideal creates a dangerous blind spot. It doesn't erase human nature—it merely forces it underground. The Mutation of Denied Competition Competitiveness is a fundamental human trait. The problem in the NGO and social sector isn't that competition exists; the problem is the steadfast denial of it. When we refuse to acknowledge our competitive instincts, they do not simply disappear. Instead, they mutate into destructive unconsci...